Valentine's Day Dining, From Luxury to White Castle

While many eateries stick with the tried and true on Valentine's Day, a
growing number are showing some real ingenuity, letting the day become
a celebration of culinary daring or promotional savvy. It's all about
recognizing America's growing appetite for all things gourmet and
distinguishing your establishment from the surf-and-turf-obsessed
competition.

Here's a coast-to-coast survey of what 10 smart-minded establishments are offering this Valentine's Day.

Dinner in Bed

Yes, instead of breakfast in bed, how about enjoying your evening meal in romantic style? That's what Miami Beach's B.E.D.
-- short for beverage, entertainment and dining -- promises. Its "Get
in Bed on the First Date" package ($300 per couple) features a
seven-course tapas-style meal, plus a bottle of Moet rose champagne,
all served on a bed covered in rose petals.

Want some privacy? The beds can be closed off with flowing curtains.

B.E.D., 929 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; (305) 532-9070

Chocolate as Nature

That's the theme of the Langham Hotel Boston's
Chocolate Bar, a feature on most Saturdays throughout the year. (For
Valentine's Day week, it will be offered on Saturday, Feb. 16, but
that's close enough for us.)

Executive Pastry Chef Alejandro Luna features chocolate stations
designed around the four elements: air (aroma of freshly baked
chocolate chip cookies wafting through the air), fire (anything fried
to a crispy turn, such as a chocolate spring roll), water (chocolate
fountain) and earth (chocolate with the "fruits" of the earth --
namely, nuts and fruits). Various special effects -- dry ice, a faux
flame machine -- and other chocolate specialties add to the appeal of
the lunchtime all-dessert feast, which is priced at $35 ($17.50 for
children).